The educational system is responsible for teaching kids and young adults the fundamentals of being a self-sufficient member of society. Knowing how to live a healthy lifestyle is an important component we should include in our school health lesson plans and cross-curricular learning.
Middle School health classes can cover a variety of topics including physical activity, nutrition programs, as well as health science subjects like body composition and hygiene.
We have put together a list of 20 of our favorite activity ideas to inform your students about healthy living.
1. Learn Your Body Type
Most teens have no idea what is going on with their bodies, so many changes are occurring and they could benefit from some information and resources to reassure them they are completely normal. Create a handout fit for students and inform your middle school students about the 3 different somatotypes.
Learn More: mPort
2. 5-Minute Stretching Routine
Studies show that even just 5-10 minutes of stretching daily can greatly improve our flexibility, joint strength, and mobility. Students spend most of their school day sitting down, so incorporate this or another simple yoga demonstration into your class warm-up.
Learn More: DCSD Wellness
3. Encourage Brain Breaks
Our mental health is a part of our overall health and well-being, so to help diffuse stress and anxiety, you can give your students strategies to give their brains a little break. A few suggestions to try are self-soothing by hugging and breathing, rubbing their hands together to make heat, and stadium standing.
Learn More: 25 Refreshing Brain Break Activities for Middle School
4. Vocab Hopscotch
Our brains can sometimes remember or recall information easier when we are moving. A fun kids' health lesson you can try with any subject (including health science) is vocab hopscotch. Print out pictures of different words or body parts and see who knows the human body best!
Learn More: Multibriefs
5. Healthy Habits Bingo
There are some really great bingo worksheets available that can start discussions on nutrition and overall student health. This resource has advice about what students can do for their mental health and safety, and things to avoid to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Learn More: Pinterest
6. Focus on Mental Health
Mental health awareness should be included in all middle school health curricula. One way to check in with your student's mental health is by creating a safe space for open and honest sharing. You can set up a big circle and make this a whole-class discussion or pair students off for one on one talks with question prompts.
Learn More: Everfi
7. Stress-Management Exercise
The school health science class covers not only physical health, but mental health, and what can happen if stress or other negative emotions take over. Information is key in students' understanding why they feel bad and what they can do to feel better. Talk about fight or flight, relationships, hormones, and more.
Learn More: Counselor Keri
8. Sleep Tracker Apps
Decide which free app you want to use with your students then ask them to download it and make an account. Each week, have a quick check-in to see if your students' sleep improves as they learn about the importance of rest and strategies for how to get the most out of sleep.
Learn More: NY Times
9. Healthy Sleep Habits
Teenagers may struggle to keep a consistent sleep schedule and don't know the effects lack of sleep can do on their bodies and minds. Inform your students all the jobs sleep is responsible for, and what can happen if they do not get a sufficient amount of it.
Learn More: Speech Buddy
10. Sleep Action Card Game
Make healthy sleep practices part of your in-class learning process. This card game rewards and takes away points for good and bad habits before sleep. Keep a record chart for each student on the wall of your classroom and add or remove points on a daily basis.
Learn More: Pinterest
11. The Birds and the Bees
This may not be the most popular lesson plan topic in middle schools, but it is a very important one. Many teens are beginning the stages of puberty at this time and most do not know what to expect. This activity has a series of cards with different changes that happen to boys and girls during puberty. Have students pick cards and guess if this change happens in girls, boys, or both.
Learn More: ASD Sex Ed
12. Limit Screen Time
Now in our current global situation, many students have had to greatly increase their amount of screen time for virtual classes, projects, and social calls. Limiting screen time is a critical topic when covering comprehensive nutrition and wellness practices. Work to reduce the amount of technology/screens your students need to complete work for your class.
Learn More: Action For Healthy Kids
13. Positive Self-Talk
With social media, celebrities, and unlimited access to edited content, students can begin to doubt their value/abilities and practice negative self-talk. A big part of the learning process we go through to become self-aware and confident adults is to work on positive self-talk.
Learn More: Pinterest
14. Hygiene 101
The human body is going through a huge transformation during the entire time of middle school. Learning how to have proper hygiene is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Teach your students the basics of a hygiene routine. Encourage them to do their own laundry, take regular showers, and wash their hands often.
Learn More: ASD Sex Ed
15. Emotional Wellness
Normalize daily mental and emotional learning check-ins with your students. When they come into class ask them to place a sticky note in the row they resonate with today. Notice who is struggling and talk to them after class or find them help through the school counseling center.
Learn More: Good Housekeeping
16. Mood Music Playlist
Many people find relief and enjoyment in listening to music. One activity you can incorporate in your middle school health lesson is a mood music chart. Ask your students to create a happy playlist of songs that bring them peace and joy. They can share their playlists with the class to foster connection and openness.
Learn More: Pinterest
17. Healthy Food Categories Ball Game
Ball games are a fun addition you can add to your health lesson plans. Depending on how many students you have, there are a few game options you can choose from. Some incorporate color-coordinating fruit and veggie names, while others recall different nutrients and their role in a healthy diet.
Learn More: SSWW
18. Stay Hydrated!
Even though many students bring water to school, many forget to drink enough throughout the day. Here are some fun water drinking games to play with your students to get them to laugh and drink water during class.
Learn More: Infinite Spider
19. Hygiene Fun Facts Lesson
The informative topic of hygiene is a popular health science area. Some habits should be done on a daily basis, while others are more regular than that. Cut these cards out and play some guessing games to make sure your students are taking care of their bodies.
Learn More: Pinterest
20. Calculating Nutrition Facts
We can use our mathematical skills to make sure we are making wise nutritional choices. Teach your middle schoolers how to read and interpret nutrition fact labels and be critical of food packaging health claims on their favorite foods so they can be educated grocery shoppers.
Learn More: WikiHow
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